When does the season start and end?
2020 Winter Indoor season is 12 weeks, starting January 11th and ending March 28th, 2020.
When are the games played?
AYSO Indoor games are usually played from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM. During that span, all four fields will be exclusively used by AYSO, meaning all of your AYSO friends and AYSO fans will be together for soccer-filled Saturdays. The day begins with the youngest divisions and then continues with non-stop soccer, with our oldest players finishing the day. Each division will play during the same hour block each Saturday during league play.
When are practices?
There are no practices. You read that right: no practices. This is a games-only league; a Saturdays-only commitment!
Who is eligible?
AYSO Indoor Soccer is open to 5U, 6U, 7U, 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 15U, and 16U players enrolled in any AYSO Region 418 program for the 2019-2020 Fall/Spring Season - Core and Northwind players are eligible and given priority placement on teams. If you are a High School Boy (15U & 16U) who did not play in the fall, and you are registered in the Core Program's Spring High School Division, you are eligible for Indoor 2020 Winter Season. If any spots remain after currently enrolled Core and Northwind players are assigned to team, then new players who did not participate in an AYSO program for Fall Season will receive team assignments for Winter Season.
How many spots are available?
We will roster a limited number of players for Winter Indoor Season. With over 2,600 eligible players in our region, these spots will go fast.
To register, click on Sign Me Up!!
Soccer in Chicago in the winter?
Yes. The weather is great inside Chicago Indoor Sports.
Who coaches the teams?
As with all AYSO programs, we rely on volunteers and will be asking for volunteer coaches.
We require that all coaches be Safe-Haven certified, CDC: Concussion certified, and AYSO Coach certified for the appropriate age division. There is not a separate certification for Indoor. We do allow coaches to request specific assistant coaches, but we cannot honor every request. Our first priority is to ensure we have enough qualified coaches for each team, and then we try to ensure that the teams are as evenly balanced as possible.
SIGN UP TO COACH WINTER INDOOR!
Coaches, please sign up for your Winter Indoor division, even if you are a registered coach in a Fall/Spring division. A separate registration must be completed for each division you will be coaching. Open the Volunteer tab in your My Account page and click on 'Find Volunteer Roles'. If you do not see your Winter Indoor division, click on 'Show More' and select the Coach role in your child's Winter Indoor Program Division. A background check must be run on every AYSO volunteer once per year. If you have completed a background check for the current membership year, then you must sign up to coach a Winter Indoor team, but you do not need to submit a new background check.
What does it cost and when can I register?
Registration is open! Select to register for the 2020 Winter Indoor Program from your account. The registration fee is $225 per player in divisions 7/8U through 14/16U, and $200 for 5/6U. We have capacity to accept less than 20% of our eligible Region 418 players, so please register early to improve your chance for enrollment.
Sign Me Up!!
How are teams rostered?
We make every effort to keep outdoor teammates together for Indoor, but we cannot guarantee that this will happen. Our main objectives are to strive for balanced and competitive teams, distributing boys and girls and travel players fairly across all the teams (remember, this is a coed league). This means that we may split up outdoor teammates and travel teams to avoid imbalance in skill level as we build the rosters for Indoor.
Coed?
Yes. The teams are coed and that format has proven to be successful and beneficial for the boys and girls who have played with us in past seasons. It works very well. Please encourage your player to embrace this unique opportunity available only in AYSO's Winter Indoor Program.
Uniforms & Equipment?
All registered players will receive a team-specific numbered uniform jersey. Players provide their own shorts and soccer socks, typically the same issued for Fall season. All players are required to wear shin guards. Indoor turf soccer shoes are recommended but not required. Sneakers are acceptable. Firm ground "outdoor" cleats are prohibited.
Is it fun?
Is this a rhetorical question? Yes, Indoor season is a lot of fun. The league is a blast, and every year we have kids tell us that Indoor Soccer is their favorite activity. The action is fast and furious on a glass-walled, turf field with no out-of-bounds or throw-ins. Play is 7v7 or 6v6 for all but 5U/6U divisions, with substitutions made on the fly. 5U/6U plays 5v5. And with all fields dedicated exclusively to AYSO during our program time, it's also a great gathering spot for friends, family, and fans. Razzmatazz is the facility's entertainment center attached to the field space and is a wonderful place for families to play games or enjoy an assortment of food and beverage in a sit-down environment before or after game time. A separate concession stand serves food, beverages, sweets, and fresh fruit snacks to be enjoyed throughout the facility.
Is there a tournament at the end of the season?
Yes, we will host our annual Indoor SoccerFest tournament the final two weeks of the season. Expect two Saturdays full of fast and exciting games, fun soccer, great competition and many, many smiles.
How do I register?
Please register on our website using the same Blue Sombrero system and login information you used for Fall or Spring registration.
When should I register?
Now. The league is very popular and fills fast so register as soon as you can.
Refund Policy
Registered players who withdraw from the program prior to November 1st will be entitled to a full refund. Requests for withdrawal received between November 1st and December 1st will be issued a 50% refund. No refund is issued for withdrawal requests received after December 1st
Other Questions
If your question is not answered in the items above, please email our Winter Indoor Program Coordinator, Adam Cole.